Michigan State football flips 2019 QB Payton Thorne from Western Michigan

The glaring hole in the Michigan State football 2019 recruiting class was quarterback.

It appears MSU coach Mark Dantonio has filled that need.

On Dec. 4, MSU offered a scholarship to Naperville (Ill.) Central quarterback Payton Thorne, who had been committed to Western Michigan.

Thorne posted on Twitter Friday his commitment to the Spartans.

"This has been a very difficult decision, but after talking with my family and close friends I have decided that it is in my best interest to decommit from WMU. I will be committing to Michigan State University! Thank you to everyone who has supported me through this decision," Thorne wrote.

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Thorne wrote that he committed to the Broncos in May but that "over the past couple of months I have gathered new information that I did not have prior to the verbal committment ..."

A 3-star prospect and the No. 24 dual-threat quarterback in the national according to 247Sports Composite, Thorne is 6-foot-2 and 187 pounds.

"I would like to thank Western Michigan University for the opportunity that they game me. I can't thank Coach Lester, Coach Evans and the rest of the coaching staff enough for what they've done for me and how they treated me," Thorne wrote. 

This brings MSU's recruiting class to 19 commits. The early signing period for the class of 2019 begins Wednesday. Dantonio said earlier this month that he expects all of the commits to sign during the early three-day window.

Before Thorne's commitment, MSU's class currently is ranked No. 26 nationally and sixth in the Big Ten according to 247Sports.com.

Months ago, MSU had a verbal commitment from Oak Park quarterback Dwan Mathis. But in the summer, Mathis changed his commitment to Ohio State.